EDUCATION

Virginia Western Community College announced the following changes: FREDONA AARON has been hired as the general admission manager for the business office, HILLARY HOLLAND has been hired as the education support specialist for the REACH program, and DEBRA THOMAS is the financial services specialist in the payroll office.

ALAN KORNHAUSER, associate professor at Virginia Tech, will begin a four-year term as a member of the ASME Committee on Ethical Standards and Review.

ENGINEERING

Schultz-Creehan announced the addition of EVAN BELONI as a research, development and design engineer.

Anderson & Associates announced that LAURA MATNEY and KELI RATCLIFFE have earned the designation of certified professional services marketer from the Society for Marketing Professional Services.

FINANCIAL

SunTrust Investment Services announced that GARY FIREBAUGH has joined its Radford team as an assistant vice president and investment consultant.

McLeod & Company announced CAROLYN BROWN, CPA has joined its company as a tax partner.

Valley Tree Mortgage announced the hiring of DOUG MITCHELL as a mortgage consultant.

Carter Bank & Trust announced the election of NANCY LAWSON as vice president by the board of directors and appointment to managing officer of the bank's Blacksburg office.

BB&T announced the promotion of JENNIFER GASTON to assistant vice president.

Bank of Botetourt announced the election of H. WATTS STEGER III as chairman-elect of the Virginia Bankers Association.

Wachovia announced the following promotions to bank officer: RHONDA SNEAD, JAMIYLA WALKER, DEBRA POINDEXTER, CINDY WILHELM, KATHY COCKRELL, LUCIA DUQUE and ASHLEY SMITH.

NewRiver Bank announced the following position changes: TOMMY LOFLIN, market president; MILTON SHOWALTER, deposit management; SHARMIN QUESENBERRY, branch manager; GLORIA ANDERSON, deposit specialist; and ELlZABETH KIRK, financial specialist.

INSURANCE

Farmers Insurance announced that JAMES RINGER has been inducted into the Farmers "Topper Club" of top sales producers.

LAW

Gentry Locke Rakes & Moore announced that 14 attorneys were named 2008 Virginia Super Lawyers: J. RUDY AUSTIN, MATTHEW BROUGHTON, DOUGLAS DENSMORE, G. FRANKLIN FLIPPIN, W. WILLIAM GUST, GREGORY HALEY, GUY HARBERT III, PAUL KLOCKENBRINK, S.D. ROBERTS MOORE, G. MICHAEL PACE JR., W. DAVID PAXTON, WILLIAM RAKES, J. SCOTT SEXTON and BRUCE STOCKBURGER.

OTHER

The Art Museum of Western Virginia announced the following staff additions: KAREN JONES, volunteer coordinator; ERIC PHILIPKOSKY, corporate development coordinator; and ROBYN SMYTH, events coordinator. MARIA ST. CLAIR has taken a new position with the museum as campaign coordinator.

The Roanoke Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau announced its new board members: MICHAEL BURNETTE, SHIRLEY HOLLAND, MARY BETH LAYMAN, DHARMENDRA PATEL, LAURA RAWLINGS, JAMES E. TALIAFERRO II, and JOYCE WAUGH.

Con-way Freight drivers ROBBIE COTTRELL, ROBERT FRENCH and PETE NUCKOLS recently won first place in their respective divisions at the Virginia Truck Driving Championship in Lexington.

ERICA MASON has joined Access Advertising/PR as a graphic designer.

DEREK SPIVEY has joined XpedX in Roanoke as logistic manager.

Retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. J. PATRICK GREEN has been named the 2008 Virginia Small Business Veteran of the Year by the Virginia Small Business Development Center.

LEE FAULKNER, P.E., CSP, recently obtained an MBA from the University of Virginia's Darden Graduate School of Business.

Carilion Clinic honored two Franklin County nurses with "Healthcare with a Human Touch" awards: KAREN TOSH, R.N., and NANCY WEBSTER, R.N.

The Miss Virginia Organization announced changes to its executive board of directors: MARGARET BAKER as chairman of the board, DR. J. DENNIS HANCOCK as golf tournament chair, BARBARA MOORE as head of field operations, CALLIE DALTON advertising, LINDA HAAS director of teen and preteen pageant, WENDY GRUNINGER as business manager, and RICH CRANWELL JR., ELIZABETH BOWLES, and BILL YOUNG.